Category: State Legislature

OLYMPIA – The debate over raising the statewide minimum wage has largely revolved around dependable partisan arguments: up-by-the-bootstraps Republicans saying it isn’t necessary or that it would kill businesses and Democrats bent on fixing income inequality. Enter Sen. Mark Miloscia, R-Federal Way, a former Democrat, with what he calls a “grand compromise.” Miloscia dropped a bill Tuesday, More

The Associated Press OLYMPIA — A House committee held a public hearing on a bill that would remove philosophical opposition as an acceptable reason for parents to not vaccinate their school-age children, drawing at least two dozen opponents to the proposed change. The bill, sponsored by Rep. June Robinson, was heard before the House Health Care &…

OLYMPIA — The state House has unanimously passed a bill to outlaw ticket bots — computer software that beats humans trying to buy seats online for concerts and sporting events. House Bill 1091 passed the chamber Monday and now heads to the Senate for consideration. The measure, requested by Attorney General Bob Ferguson, makes it a…

The big Olympia news this week was that Republicans and Democrats in the state Senate came together on the beginnings for an agreement on a statewide transportation package. That and other doings: 1. State Senate transportation plan includes phasing in new gas tax. 2. Meanwhile, GOP senators introduce bill that would ban money for Bertha tunnel cost overruns. 3. Lawmaker called…

Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposal to cap state carbon emissions and impose $1 billion a year in new charges on oil refineries, aluminum smelters and other top polluters passed its first legislative hurdle Tuesday, clearing the state House Environment Committee on a party-line vote. Much of the debate centered on GOP amendments that sought to soften the…

By this post’s title, you’d think we were in a sordid film. But really we were in the House Republican Caucus room for the GOP’s weekly media availability. Notable highlights: 1. Several bills to change the gun purchase background-check expansion, the recently passed Initiative 594, were heard Monday in committee hearings. But Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, said they aren’t likely to…

Washington State University has offered written assurances to state lawmakers that training at its proposed medical school won’t be limited by partnerships with religiously affiliated hospitals. Such concerns, raised by Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, had briefly delayed a committee vote on a bill authorizing the medical school. Pollet said he worried WSU’s proposed school model, which will…

Lt. Gov. Brad Owen took his grievances with the state’s ethics-investigations process to a Senate panel Monday, where he got a sympathetic hearing from some state senators who’ve faced their own ethics complaints. As we wrote for Monday’s paper, Owen remains steamed at a $15,000 fine he received last year as part of a settlement with the…

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Politics Northwest is the go-to blog for politics in our region. The blog explores national, state and local political news and issues. Reporters from Washington, D.C., to Seattle City Hall to the state capital in Olympia contribute. Editors are Richard Wagoner and Beth Kaiman.